Can testing machine



l Oct. 26, K F PECK CAN TESTING MACHINE Filed April l, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l c. F. @4.2K cAN`TEsT1NG MACHINE Oct. 26, 1943.

Filed April 1, 1943.r

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR cm2 XM BY 4 ORNEYS oct. ze, 1943. c. F. PECK 2,332,525

CAN TESTING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 oct. 26, 1943. F. FEK 2,332,325

CAN TESTING MACHINE Filed April 1., 1941 INVENTOR 4 sheets-sheet 4 I Patented Oct. 26, 1943 UNITED NSTATES VPA'rflaiNT fcoFFI'cflj;,fff

CAN TESTING MACHINE Carl F. Peck, Jersey City, N. J.; assignor'to Ameri-y can Can Company, New York, N. Y.; a corporation of New Jersey 'Application Apri1`1,1941,serialNassasve' comms. (cm3- 51) The present .invention relates to container or can testing machines in Whichthe cans are subjected to air under pressure I to detect those which leak and has particular reference to simultaneously testing-they cans for collar bands and utilizing,. the usual .air testing devices to discard cansin which the collar bands are missing or `are improperly` inserted in addition to the can leak test.A c Y In the manufacture of sheet metal cans in which the collarlband is inserted into the can bodyas a separate member andrbyhigh speed machinery, the collar band sometimes is inadvertently omitted or is` inserted incorrectly. Such a can when allowedzto go through the regular manufacturing processes and when filled and merchandized as `usu: a.lcauses considerable trouble-to the purchaser when opened. The instant .invention contemplates the detectionand `discard of such cans whilethey are being tested for leaks in the usual way, -so that they too will be prevented from being used.

An object therefore of the invention` is the provision, invan air testing machine vfor detecting leaky cans, of devices for testing the cansfor interior collar bands, such band testingbeing carried on simultaneously with the usual testing offthe cans for leaks so that both test-` ing operations may be effected in the same machine with a saving of time and operations. Another object vis theprovision of such a machine `wherein' the vdiscardingfofi detected imperfect canshaving collar bands improperly inv serted or of imperfect detectedcans Withoutany collars, is effected by the same devices-'which discard Va detected leaky can. t

Numerous -other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it isbetterfu'nderjstood from kthe following description,.which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a. preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Views of a portion of the machine showing-the collar band end of a can inplace, Fig.4 5'illu'sL trating the relative position of'themachi'ne parts and va can having va correctly inserted collar band, Fig. `6 illustrating the relative positionof a can having a collar ban'd incorrectly'inserted; and Fig. rshowing therelative positi'on'l'of a` can in which the collar band has been :entirelyy omitted. j

As ajpreferred `embodiment lof the instant invention' the drawings illustrate principali/parts;

` of a can testing ,machine ofthe charaoter'dis closed in United Stat es Patent 2,019,517',` issued November 5, 1935, to M. E. Widell. In 'suchja machine sheet metalfcans Afhaving one end open` are subjected to Iair under pressure aridifound to leak are discharged yfrom themachine bywayi Y y of a.leakycanoutlet, wh ile` good cans,i e., cans which do not leak are dischargedfromthe mae chine by Way of'a good canfou'tlet'. l 'Y The cans A to be tested roll en 'their sides-into' the machine in 'a continuousprocessicn `by way of an inclined runway 2li (Figs. land 2'). `At the discharge endoi thejrunwaythe cans'V are individually de lveled'into testing heads 23w h ich are carried in spaced order "around'thel outside Figure 1 is 'a side elevation `of afportion-of a can testing` machine embodying therv instant invention', with parts broken away andpartsshown in section;` l 1 Fig. 2 is an enlargedvside elevation of a Lpor-- tion of the machine -shown in Fig.'1, withparts broken away;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional details vtaken substantially along the respective liliesv 3-3 and 4-4 in Fig. withparts broken away;

and I Figs. 5, 6 and 'l are greatly enlarged sectional diameterlof a rotatingr testing wheel;` generally indicated `by the numeral 24. The' testing `iis/ heel is mounted on a shaft 25 'Which'fis,journaledfin bearings in a machi ne main frame Q25, This7 shaft is rotated vin any suitable mannerisuch'as' that disclosed in the above mentioned Widell patent- H Y L, L.

Each testing'head 23 includes a movable 'cradle f 3L (seeFigB) in WhichacanA is received when it is delivered from `the 'entrance runvyay'Zl l'he cradle is mounted -on a slide pin 32 which is` see cured inlthe rotatingy Wheel 24. The cradlealsd carries'a clamp padv 34. Oppositethis clampfpad there Vis astationary'pad A35 which is `secured tc the rotating wheel.y Thisstationary pad carries' a" resilient 'Sealing ring se Lvand man.; supp rt mandrel31..v

When a can y n c latter is immediately shifted along. its slidepin 32 .towardthefright as Viewed in Fig. 3; This shifting is'effected bya link and lever 'connecttion 3,8,. Which is actuated by. any suitable' meansA operating in time with the other moving Aparts 0f the machine. shifting of the prague pushes the can over the mandrel, ."|."(Fig.` 3), and'also brings 'the clamp pad T34 into clarripingAVA position against `the can so that the latter ispheldtightly against the resilient sealing ring 3,6. The

terior ofthe can isthus completelysealedfoiij A is receiveduin.lacradle 4 n from the outside atmosphere. The can is held in this clamped position while it is carried around a circular path of travel with the wheel as it rotates through one cycle.

During this travel of the can, air under pressure is rst introduced into its interior. This air is supplied from any suitable source of supply by way of a pipe 42 (Fig. 1) which brings the air into a filter box 43. From the filter box the ir passes by way of a pipe 44 into a valve box 45. The air is delivered from this valve box by way of a lever operated rocker valve 46 (Fig. 4) having ports 41 which whenlopen permit air to pass through pipes 48 into va distributor 43 arranged around the hub of the testing wheel 24.

The operation and construction of this distributor 49 is fully explained in the above Widell patent. For the use of this specication itis thought sufcient to explain that the distributor momentarily admits air from the pipes 48 into the clamped can in its head 23 so that the can is completely lled with the air under pressure. This air is delivered through a pipe which connect-s the distributor with the head.

The charging of the can with air is brought about by actuation of the valve 4B. The valve is opened and closed by a valve lever 53 which is connected to'one end of an actuating rod 54 (Fig. 2) The opposite end of the rod is normally engaged ln a notch 55 of a vertically disposed cam lever 56, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cam levervis mounted on a pivot pin 51 secured in a bracket 58 carried on the machine frame. 'The lower end of the cam lever is` held under tension of a spring 53 having one end connected to the lever and the other end secured to the bracket. The upper end of the cam lever is formed with a cam head 62 `which is `disposed in the path of travel of buttons 63 formed on the outer ends of the cradle slide pins 32.r

Hence as each can in itscradle cornes adjacent the cam head 82 of the lever 56, the button 63 associated with this cradle engages the cam head and pushes it inwardly. This rocks the cam lever and thus shifts the actuating rod 54 and the rod in turn shifts the valve lever 53 which opens the valve 46. As soon as the cam head 62 rides of! the passing button 63 the spring 58 draws the cam lever 56 back into vits normal position. A spring 60 (Fig. 2) secured to the valve lever` 53 and to the machine main frame returnsthe rod to its original position and thus closes the valve.

.After'a can A has received its charge rof air under pressure it remains sealed except. in the event `it should leak. In this condition the air filled can passes around with the rotating wheel 24 until it arrives at or near a discharge mechanis1n65 (Fig. l) having two outlet chutes 66, B1 intof,which perfect and imperfect containers are respectively deiiected by a plvotally mounted gate 68 `controlled by an electromechanical` actuating device 69. 1

As the can yapproaches the discharge mechanism 65, its interiorA air condition isgdetermined by a detector valve 1l containing 'a diaphragm whichfmoves upon disturbance from a predetermined balanced condition by lreason of leakage earlier occurring in the can. Movement of this diaphragm byvair from a leaking can closes an electric switchen which is connected with the detector valve 1l. Closing of this switch ener` gizes an electric solenoid 13 associated withthe discharge gate control or actuating device 69 and V the leaky can will be discharged from the machine by way of the leaky can chute 61. This completes the cycle of a can being tested in the machine.

In the instant invention the cans A to be tested carry interior annular collar bands B (Fig. 5) which tsnugly within the can bodies in engagement with'their side Walls. The upper or outer edge of each collar band is bent inwardly and downwardly to provide a smooth curled edge C which extends inwardly from the collar band side wall. The lower or inner edge of the collar band is preferably uncurled or is left raw and adjacent this edge the band is expanded outwardly into a bead D formed in the can body to hold the band in proper place. It is these cans that roll down the entrance runway 2| and are placed on the mandrel 31 of the testing heads 23.

The can supporting mandrel 31 of each testing head 23 is somewhat smaller than the inside of the can and 'is disposed in a slightly eccentric position on the stationary pad 35 of the testing head. On the eccentric side of the mandrel it carries a short centering block or shoe 15 (Figs. 2, 3; 5,'6 and '7) having an inwardly inclined surface 16. The shoe is located close to the resilient ring 35 and its outer surface projects beyond the outer diameter of the mandrel. y

While a can A having a correctly inserted collar band B, as shown in Fig. 5, is being pushed onto the mandrel and before it is clamped in position against the stationary head 35 by the clamp pad 34, the curled edge C of the collar band ridesup on the shoe 15 as shown in the fig-l ure. The shoe projects beyond the mandrel surface-a distance suiiicient to shift the can on the mandrelV into a position concentric with the head 3-5 and also to effect a snug iit of the can on the mandrel'.` After the can is thus centered on the head 35 the clamp 'pad holds it tightly in this position. lIf the collar band B is in areverse position in a can A so that its curled edge C is not in correct position, as clearly shown in Fig. 6,'the curled edge C does not ride -up on the shoe 'I5 and hence the-can is not centered on the head 35. In a similar manner a can A which has no collar band at all, as shown in Fig, 7, also remains in an eccentric position relative to the testing head 35.

These oi center or eccentric positions of a can AY on a mandrel 31 are utilized to indicate the wrong position or omission of the collar band in the can. Provision is made for detecting such cans and for preventing the introduction into y them of the air under pressure,4 as hereinbefore explained. `Thusthe detected can having no collar or an improperly positioned collar is carried through the machine without any air in it and'when it reaches the leak detector valve 1l) it has the same effect on the valve and registers as a leaking can and is accordingly discarded from the machine by the same devices that operate for discharging a regular leaking can.

Determination of the collar band condition of a can A is brought about by a verticallydisposed detector arm 8| (Figs. l, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7) which ismounted on a pivot pin 82 secured in a bracket 83 bolted to the machine main frame 26. The upper end of the arm extends into the path of travel of the cans as they begin their cycle through the machine with the rotating tester wheel 24. This upper end of the arm engages against the outside surface of the cans as they move past.

The detector arm 8i carries a pin 85 which -iontelna pivot Tsti-id `88 `nc'afrr-ied inthe bracket -a :lever isjmaintained under :pressure of a tehson spiin'g' 89 avingfoife fend connectedfto the lever and havin" t' brfdsite endsecured "to "the br'akt. onfth'e'ilever 4Tand this/thro 'd pini the lde'tecti' ar-rn, mainte s the latter against -t'lfe outsideur'flces of the 'cans'. 'lihe-innerend f "he leve'r '8l :also Tconneted `a li'n'k` 'Slfto thefair 'valve aotiiatingrd 54.

yHence'when a can without a eouarbanii for one in fiiz'hicljr the collar band `is improperly -tteii a' (sentiti-1e detector iarirn al, Ythe -eccenn 't cpositi'n yof the eifet's 'fari inward lin'oveof the detector arm'undeithe strainof the 'spring '8&1i` This inward "movement of the `deftector arm permitsthespringl todra-W the 4lever 81 down and thus, through the link 191 'the air valve actuating rod E4 is drawn down suficient to disengage it from the notch 55 in the cam lever 56.

Thus when the button 63 on the cradle slide `pin 32 for the testing head, in which the eccentrically positioned detected can is located, comes into engagement with the cam 62 of the lever 56, the latter is actuated as usual but the disconnected valve actuating rod 54 remains stationary. Hence the air valve 46 remains closed and no air is introduced into the detected can. f

The detector arm 8l is pushed 'back into its normal position by the next good or concentrically positioned can A and this lifts the lever 81 back into its normal position. Lifting of the lever `8'! raises the air valve actuating rod 54 and it thus reengages in its notch 55 in the cam lever Where it is ready to open the valve 45 to admit air into such a good can.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for testing internal collar band containers for leaks and also for the presen-ce of correctly positioned collar bands, the combination of a support head for a container to be tested, valve means for introducing and confining air under pressure in the container on said support head, an air detector for determining the leakage of pressure from said container, a separating mechanism for separating leaking from non-leaking containers as determined by said detector, means on said support head for holding a container with a properly fitted collar band in a position different from the position of a container having an improperly fitted collar band, a collar band detector engageable against the outside of a container on said support head for detecting containers having improperly fitted co1- lar bands, as determined by the position of the container on the support head, and instrumentalities operable by said collar band detector for rendering said valve means inoperable, so that air will not be introduced into a detected container having an incorrectly positioned collar to ensure that such container will be separated in the same manner as a leaky container.

2. In a machine for testing internal collar band containers for leaks and' also for the presence tiniof'azsupport*head'for a container to-be tested, valve. 'means fdr Vi-ntroducing'and fconfining air =under lpressure in the container -on said support'l lhead\an =airwdetector for determining leaking If'rom Jnon-leaking containers, vvmeans on -saidsup- 'port 'head for holding acontaine'r with a properly fitted collar band in` aposition different fromthe 4position of Aa` container havingVV 'an iimproperly fitted `collar band,` rafrcollar band detector en` a detected container having. an, incorrectly -ftted :and positionedrfcollar banda toainsuregthat such container Will befclassified With and discharged as a leaky container.

3. In a machine for testing internal collar cone tainers for leaks and also for correctly Positioned internal collar bands, the combination of a support head fora container toy be tested, valve means for introducingand confining air under pressure in the container on said support head for determining leaking from non-leaking containers, a mandrel eccentrically disposed on said head for supporting the container, a tapered shoe on said mandrel engageable with a properly fitted collar in a container positioned on the mandrel for holding said container in a position concentric with said head, a pivotally mounted collar band detector arm engageable with the outsidel of a container on said support for detecting the presence of eccentrically positioned containers having improperly fitted collar bands therein and containers from which the collar bands have been omitted, and instrumentalities operable by said :detector arm for rendering said valve means inoperable, so that air will not be introduced into a container having an improperly fitted or omitted collar band to insure that such imperfect container will be determined andclassified as a leaky container.

4. In a machine for testing internal collar containers for leaks and also for correctly positioned collar bands, the combination of a support head for a container to be tested, valve means for introducing and confining air under pressure in the container von said head for determining leaking from non-leaking containers, an actuating rod connecting with said valve means, a cam leverv f engageable with said actuating rod, means ad. n

jacent said head forshifting said cam lever to open and close said valve means, means on said support head for holding a container Witha properly fitted collarband in a position different from the position of a container having an improperly tted collar band, a detector element engageable against the outside of a container on said support head for detecting the presence of containers having improperly fitted 'collar bands as determined by the different position of such a container on the support head, and a spring held lever connecting with said actuating rod and operableby said detector for withdrawing said rod from engagement with said cam lever to render the valve means inoperable, so that air will not be introduced into a detected container having an improperly fitted collar to insure that such an imperfect container will be determined and olas-` sied as a leaking container.

5. In a machine for testing cans, the combination `oi? means for advancing the cans through a predetermined path of travel, means cooperating with said advancing means and'insertable into thevcaninterior for detecting the presence of a collar correctly positioned Wit-hin each of said cans,` means for admitting air under pressure to the interior of the' cans to detect the presence of leaks'therein, means responsive to existing air pressure within a said can for selectively discharging the cans in 'accordance with the air pressure therewithin, and means actuated by said collar detecting means for holdingfsaid air admitting means inoperative to admit air toV a can other than having a collar correctly positioned therewithin as determined by said collar detecting means.

i `6. A machine for testing cans having internally positioned collars, comprising means for'advancing the collar cans through a predetermined path of travel, means cooperating with said advancing means and insertable into the can interior for detecting the presence of a collar correctly positioned within each of said cans, means for admitting air under pressure to the interior of the cans to detect the presence of leaks therein, means responsive to a relatively low degree of air pressure existing Within a detected leaky can for segregating and separately discharging such imperfect leaky can from the machine, and means actuated by said collar detecting means for holding said air admitting means inoperative to admit air under pressure to a can other than having a collar correctly positioned therewithin, whereby to maintain a low degree of substantially atmospheric pressure within such structurally imperfeet can to insure its discharge from the machine together with the said imperfect low pressure leaky cans segregated and discharged by said air pressure responsive means.

CARL F. PECK. 

